Pushbutton-operated quick-acting switch or selector device



July 27, 1965 w. P. scHMn'T 3,197,589

PUsHBUTTON-CPERATED QUICK-ACTING SWITCH OR SELECTOR DEVICE Filed May l, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN rola NALE@ 'Peraza Schw: n"

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July 27, 1965 W, P, SCHMITT 3,197,589

PUSHBUTTON-OPERATED QUICK-ACTING SWITCH OR SELECTOR DEVICE Filed May 1, 1952 5 Smeets-sheet 2 @raf f u L f A L I.

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PUSHBUTTON-OPERATED QUICK-ACTING' SWITCH OR SELECTOR DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May l, 1962 o# Q www SY ME r 5S. @WK Bm.\ S N. w 1 A x mm .LN VEN T012. WA LTEP 'PE1-E2 Scffmf Arrow/evs July 27, 1965 W. P. SCHMITT PUSHBUTTON-OPERATED QUICK-ACTING SWITCH OR SELECTOR DEVICE Filed May l, 1962 JIO 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Ema?. 40 X' July 27, 1965 w. P. SCHMITT PUSHBUITON-OPERATED QUICK-ACTING SWITCH OR SELECTOR DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May l, 1962 IN1/ENTR. WAL-rs? "Pm-2 Salfmr 3-,= ma I am ma Arroz/sys United States Patent O 3,197,539 PUSHBUTTGN-GFERTED QUQI-ATHNG SWITCH GR E' ECTtciFr DEJSE Walter leter Schmitt, Rte. de Phalshonrg, Sarre-Union, llas-Rhin, France Filed May 1, 1962, Ser. No. 191,514 Claims priority, application France, May 2, 1961, 869,53@

13 Claims. {@l. 20d-67) This invention relates to a pushbutton-operated, quickacting switch or selector device.

Quick-acting switches or selectors resorted to heretofore usually comprise a member which is mobile about a thrust point. This member carries a contact cooperating with a fixed contact or with two opposed contacts. A spring means generally consisting of an extensible tension spring connects the mobile member to a control means, whereby said mobile member and the tension spring can be shifted relative to each other. 1n the course of this motion they traverse a position wherein they are aligned or lie in a same plane, in such manner that the spring is tensioned and causes sudden motion of said mobile member.

The control means is normally operated by a tumblerswitch button, a double pushrod or a rotating cam device.

A device according to this invention is provided with a quick-acting mobile mechanism having a component which carries contacts or the like and which is springloaded into either of two stable positions to the exclusion of any other intermediate position. The device embodies a novel feature in that it comprises a sliding and/or rocking pnshbutton or like control means which is so springloaded that after each operation it is returned into the same set position, said pushbutton comprising two cam means or being associated with two cams which, when said pnshbutton is shifted, act alternately and successively on rocking-lever means which cause said mobile mechanism to be moved in one direction or the other.

A further particularity of the invention is that said mobile cams are so positioned on `the pushbutton that each cooperates with a specic portion of said rocking-lever means.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention and cams are mutually offset so that they respectively act on opposite sides of the fulcrum point of said rocking-lever.

The description which follows with reference to the accompanying drawings, given by way or" example only and not of limitation, will give a clear understanding of how the invention may be performed and will disclose yet further particularities thereof.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a general rear view of a quick-acting switch or selector device executed according to this invention, the cover having been removed from the enclosure;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken through the lines II-II in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken through the lines IIE-II in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a rear view similar to the view of FIG- URE l, the various parts of the device having been shifted by depressing the associated pushbutton;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken through the lines V-V oi FIGURE 4;

FlGURE 6 is a sectional view taken through the lines Vi-VI of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken through the lines VII-VII of FlGURE 4;

FIGURE 8 is a rear view or" the device, similar to those of FIGURES 1 and 4, showing the various component 'ice parts of the device in the positions they occupy after the pushbutton has been released from the depressed position it occupies in FIGURES 4-7g FIGURE 9 is a sectional view through the lines IX-lX of FIGURE 8;

' FlGURE l0 is a cross-section taken through the lines X-X of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 11 is a rear view of the device, showing the positions of its component parts after the pushbutton has been depressed subsequent Ito said components having occupied the positions shown in FIGURES 8-10;

FIGURE 12 is a sectional View through the lines XII-XII of FIGURE 1l;

FIGURE 13 is a cross-section taken through the lines XIII-XIII of FIGURE 11;

FlGURE 14 is a cross-section taken through the lines XIV-XIV of FIGURE ll;

FIGURE l5 is an exploded perspective view of the device illustrated in the preceding iigures.

A selector switch according to this invention, illustrated on the accompanying drawings with its parts occupying various positions in the course of an operating cycle, may comprise, for example, a quick-acting mechanism, a supporting means therefor and three contacts, to Wit, a common contact, a normally open contact and a normally closed contact.

In the example illustrated, a support means 10 consists of a substantially box-like enclosure or casing preferably made of insulating material and closed by a rear cover 11. Reference numeral 12 designates a conducting part terminating in a terminal 13 for connection to an electric circuit. Said part 12 comprises a preferably square or rectangular, frame-shaped plate portion 1d which bears at 15 against a llange provided in the enclosure or support It) adapted to receive said frame.

To opposite corners 1o and 17 of the square metal frame 14, forming recesses as shown in FIGS. '7 and 14, is pivotally connected a mobile member referred to precedingly which, in this particular example, takes the form of a hat U-shaped part 15S. The free end of said fiat -Ushaped part 18 is adapted to carry a single electrical contact, while one oi' the fixed stops, 19, E@ also forms an electrical contact, so that the device then operates as a quick-acting switch.

Alternatively, said free end can carry two opposed contacts, in which case each stop acts as an electrical contact and the device operates as a quick-acting selector. In both cases, the member acting as the stop (19 or 2li) against which said U-shaped part is applied serves as one of the selector terminals. In the example illustrated, the mobile U-shaped part is provided with contacts 21 and 22 positioned on either side of its symmetry plane, .the contact 22 being adapted to be applied against conducting Vstop 2l) and the contact Z1 against stop 19. Thus the device illustrated is a selector switch.

The U-shaped part 18 is biased into contact, through the medium of contact 21 or 22, with conductive stop 19 or 2,0 respectively, the biasing means being a tension link, a coil spring or the like. In the example illustrated, the U-shaped part 18 is biased by an overcentered spring 23 attached to a hole 24 in its base. The other extremity 2S of spring 23 is anchored in a central position in a V- shaped notch provided on a rocking member or lever such as a yoke 26. Yoke 26 is pivotally connected to the extremity of a clevis or intermediate member 27 which is preferably so positioned that it straddles spring 23. As is clearly shown in FIGURE 2, yoke 26 is free to rock in notches 28, 29 provided in clevis 27, and this rocking motion is arrested by two stops consisting of abutment plates Sil, 31 rigid with said clevis 27.

The extremity of clevis 27 remote from that supporting yoke 26 is pivotally connected, in any convenient manner,

` 3 to the enclosure or support. clevis 27 is provided with two legs 32 and 33 which are suiiiciently spaced for the U-shaped contact holder 18 to rock therebetween without abutting against said legs. The two legs 32 and 33 are pointed at their extremities to allow each to engage into a lodging or groove of substantially triangular section, the angle of aperture of which is greater than the angle formed on the extremities of legs 32 and 33. The hinging system obtained is thus extremely simple. The clevis 27 is applied against the bottom of a groove 34 by spring 23 which biases it towards the notch 34 through the Vmedium of yoke 26. It will of course be understood that the groove 34 is preferably A disposedin the symmetry plane of the enclosure and along the entire depth thereof in order to facilitate assembly of the device in said enclosure. y

The compound comprisingthe moving partsV forming the mechanism of the device is tripped by a pushbutton 40 which, in the 'specic example illustrated, is slidably mounted on the front face of enclosure 10, which face is provided with an aperture of convenient size to receive said pushbutton. Pushbutton 40 Vis biased outwardly from enclosure 10 by a spring 41 the turns of Vonejextremity of which are applied against the bottom of a preferably cylindrical orifice provided in pushbutton 40 and In the example illustrated,Y

yener/,ees

. the mechanism in the positions they occupy after pushbutton 40-has been depressed and maintained so by the operators finger. Comparing the positions occupied by the mechanism components in FIGURES 1 to 3 and 4 to 7, respectively, it canbe seen that the U-shaped part 18 has tripped at the same time as yoke 26, the clevis 27 occupying substantially the same position. However, as is clearly shown on FIGURE 6, the spring 23 is tensioned, its extremity 25 being positioned Vto the right of the median plane of the device, which is represented by a chain-dotted line X-X in FIGURES 3, 6, 7, 10, 13 and 14. The anchoring point of the spring 23.in the hole 24 of U- shaped part 18 is located on the other side of said plane. As a result, the yoke 26, and hence the clevis 27 carrying the same, are biased leftwardly with reference to FIG- URE 6. Any oscillation of clevis 27 and of yoke 26 on its extremity is prevented by the fact that the lateral surface 26b of the yoke butts against the lateral extension 51 of pushbutton 40.

those of the other extremity threaded over a boss 42 provided on frame 14.

Pushbutton 40 is grooved or recessed substantially midway along its depth, thereby enabling it to straddleY said frame A14, the inner end 43 of said recess abutting against frame 14 when the pushbutton is fully depressed and spring 41 thereby compressed. Pushbutton 40 is preferably fitted from inside the enclosure 10, and hence before the mobile compound proper and the part 12 cornprising the frame 14 are fitted into said enclosure. Said pushbutton is prevented from being thrust out of its aper- -ture by the spring 41 through the provision of lateral stop means such as those denoted by reference numerals 46l and 47.

In the embodiment illustrated by way of example, said stops 46 and 47 are positioned at slightly offset levels on pushbutton 40, on that part thereof which is comprised between the frame 14 and the base of enclosure 10, and this positioning ensures improved abutment of the pushbutton against the inner front face of enclosure 10.

That end of pushbutton 40 which penetrates into en-r closure 10 consists essentially of flat parts 50, 51 out into the shape of cams or ramps, or simply into the shape of ngers. manner of operation of this device, it will be understood that it is necessary for the distance included between the ramp-shaped 4projecting parts 50 and 51, augmented by the width of one of said ramps, to be substantially equal to the distance included between the outer edges of the sides of branchesv 26a and 2617 of yoke 26. Y

The device hereinbefore described operates as follows:

As it is illustrated in FIGURES 1 to 3, the selector device according to ,thisY invention is in that configuration wherein the pushbutton Vprotrudes and an electrical connection is established between the part 13 and the part 20 through the mobile U-shaped part 18. Referring now more specifically to FIGURE 3, it will be seen therefrom that the ramp-shaped lateral portion 50 of pushbutton 40 `is positioned opposite `the branch 26a of yoke 26, the spring 23 being attached to the centre of Ysaid yoke 26.

As a result, any pressure exerted on pushbutton 40 vcauses the side 50 thereof to thrust against branch 26a of yoke 26, which yoke trips across its stops 30 and 31 and occupies the pushbutton depressed position shown in FIGUREv 6. This tripping of yoke 26 shifts the extremity 25 of spring 23 which spring is consequently tenvsioned and in turn trips the contact-bearing U-shaped-part 18, and this tripping occurs simultaneously with that of yoke 26.Y

FIGURES 4 to 7rshow the various -component parts of From the description given hereunder of theV When the operator ceases t-o exert pressure on pushbutton 4?, the same is urged by spring 41 back into its protruding position wherein it projects from enclosure iii, and this sliding motion of pushbutton 4@ takes place outwards from enclosure 10 until lateral stops 46 and 47 abut against the front inner surface or" said enclosure. The lateral portion 51 of bushbutton 4t? then ceases to retainyokeV 26 and clevis 27m the rightwardly offset position they occupied in FIGURE 6 and, immediately upon retraction of said portion 51 of pushbutton liti, cievis 27 carrying yoke 26 tilts int-o the stable position shown in IGURES 8 to l0. Y

Referring now to FIGURES 8 to l0, it may be seen that, with the pushbutton protruding, the electricalconnection is maintained between parts 13 and 19 through the mobile U-shaped part 1S, since said part 18 will not trip when the operator ceases to press on pushbutton 4t); in fact, the only effect `of the protrusion of pushbutton 4) will be Vthat clevis 27 and yoke 26 carried on the extremity thereof will become free to rock. Referring more specifically to FIGURE 10 it will be observed that it is now the branch 26!) of yoke 26 which is positioned opposite the ramp-shaped lateral portion Si of pushbutton 4i?, so that any fresh pressure exerted by the operator on pushbutton 40 will cause yoke 26 to trip across stops 3) and 31 which are rigid with clevis 27, to the extremity of which said yoke is pivotally connected.

FIGURES 11 to 14 show the positions occupied by the yarious 'component parts of the mechanism when, having depressed pushbutton 4i? (the device having been previously in the position shown in FIGURES 8 tot l0), .the operator continues to exert pressure on said pushbutton 46. It can be seen that simultaneously with tripping of yoke 26, mobile U-shaped part I3 has swung over and henceforward occupies a position such that an electrical connection exists be-tween part 13 and part 20. The two extremities of spring 23 have now been shifted, Ione of Vwhichtat hole 24) is connected to the base of U-shaped part I8, the other extremity 25 to the centre of yoke 26, the latter having tripped on the extremity of clevis 27. After the tripping of yoke 26 and p-art 18, the `spring 23 nonetheless remains tensioned and urges clevis 27 to rock across in its notch 34. Such rocking is prevented however by the fact that branch 26a of yoke 26 butts against the lateral portion 5@ projecting from pushbutton 40.

It will easilyfbe appreciated that if the operator ceases to press pushbutton 40, said pushbutton will revert to its position of protrusion from enclosure 19 under theV action of spring 41, and that this will tend to free the assembly comprising yoke 26 and clevis 27, which assembly will trip intro the position shown in FIGURES l to 3.

The working cycle ofthe V'device Vaccording' to the in- Vven-tion is thenV complete and may be summarized as follows: l

FlGURES 4 to 7: pushbutton depressed, electrical connection established between parts i3 and i9;

FiGURES 8 to 1G: pushbutton protruding, electrical connection maintained between parts i3 and 19;

FIGURES li to i4: pushbutton depressed, electrical connection established between parts i3 and 2t?.

The device hereinbetore described is particularly reliable in operation. Executed as shown, it comprises only parts which are not proue to seizure or to falling out of adjustment. in addition, the contact-bearing mobile member is always maintained in pressure contact against one ot the fixed contacts by a relatively large spring-loading force.

While there has been shown and described the presently preterred embodiment of the switch of this invention, it will be well understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modiiications may be made in this embodiment. It is, therefore, to be understood that the description hereinbefore set forth is not to be considered as a limitation of the invention but that changes may 'be made within the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What l claim is:

1. A change-over switch comprising a casing, a pair of stop means solid with said casing, at least one of said stop means being electrically conductive, a contact carrying element mounted at one of its ends on said casing for pivoting about a first axis and for `oscillating at its other end between said stop means, an intermediate member mounted on said casing for pivoting about a second axis substantially at 45 degrees with respect to said iirst axis, two abutments solid with said intermediate member, a lever mounted on said intermediate member for pivoting about a third axis substantially at 90 degrees with respect to said second axis, means for oscillating said lever between said abutments, and an overcentered spring for connecting said lever with said contact carrying element.

2. A change-over switch as defined in claim 1, wherein the median plane of said contact carrying element, the median plane `ot said intermediate member and the median plane of said lever all intersect substantially upon a common line which corresponds substantially with the general direction of said spring.

3. A change-over switch as defined in claim l, wherein said means for oscillating the lever comprise a pushbutton movable in a direction substantially parallel with said second axis and cooperating with said lever, thus causing a snapping of said spring.

4. A change-over switch as defined in claim 3, wherein said push-button includes two cam means cooperating with said lever depending upon the position of said spring.

5. A change-over switch as dened in claim 4, wherein said third axis is comprised between the two ends of said lever, one of said cam means acting -on said lever at one end thereof and the other cam means acting at the other end thereof with respect to said third axis.

6. A change-over switch as defined in claim 5, wherein said lever has two lateral portions extending on each side of a plane perpendicular to said third axis, and wherein said cam means cooperate with respective ones of said portions.

7. A change-over switch comprising an electrically insulating casing of substantially rectangular parallelepipedic configuration provided with a bottom, a top and lateral walls, a pair of stop means secured to said casing top, at least one of said stop means being electrically conductive, a contact carrying element mounted at one of its ends on Said casing bottom substantially in a diagonal direction for pivoting about a first axis parallel to said bottom and said top walls, and for oscillating at its other end between said stop means, an intermediate member mounted for pivoting about a second axis parallel to said bottom and said top walls and to two of said lateral walls, said second axis being substantially at 45 degrees with respect to said rst axis, two abutments solid with said intermediate member, a lever mounted on said intermediate member f-or pivoting about a third axis also parallel to said bottom and said top walls substantially at 9G degrees with respect to said second axis, means for oscillating said lever between said abutments, and an 4overcentered spring connecting said lever with said contact carrying element.

S. A change-over switch as deiined in claim '7, wherein said contact carrying element has substantially the form of a ilat U-shaped element pivotally mounted about the end of at least one of its two branches, said intermediate member has the form of a frame, and said lever has substantially the form of a stirrup with two legs.

9. A change-over switch as deiined in claim 3, wherein said spring is a tensioned spring secured by one of its ends to a median portion of said U-shaped contact carrying element and by its other end to a median portion of said stirrup.

lll. A change-over switch as delined in claim 9, wherein, said means for oscillating the lever comprise a pushbutton movable parallel with its longitudinal axis in a direction substantially parallel with said second axis, and including two cam means disposed in substantially symmetrical configuration in relation to said longitudinal axis, said cam means acting each on one of said stirrup legs depending upon the position of said spring, so as to rock said stirrup.

il. A change-over switch as deiined in claim lo, wherein at least one of said stirrup legs has its free end extending over said third axis, and wherein one of said cam means is located `between said casing top and a plane containing said third axis, and parallel with respect to the plane of said casing top, while the other cam means is located between said casing bottom and said plane containing the third axis.

12. A change-over switch as dened in claim ll, further comprising resilient return means for said pushbutton.

13. A change-over switch as delined in claim 12, further comprising lan electrically conductive plate fixed at said casing bottom and having two recesses therein, and wherein said U-shaped element is electrically conductive and bears against said plate, Said ends of the U-shaped element being pivotally mounted in said recesses, said plate being connected to a terminal of the change-over switch while at least one of said stop means is connected to another terminal of the switch.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,881,292 4/59 Winter et al 20G- 153 X KATHLEEN H. CLAFF Y, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, BERNARD A. GILHEANY,

Examiners. 

1. A CHANGE-OVER SWITCH COMPRISING A CASING, A PAIR OF STOP MEANS SOLID WITH SAID CASING, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID STOP MEANS BEING ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE, A CONTACT CARRYING ELEMENT MOUNTED AT ONE OF ITS ENDS ON SAID CASING FOR PIVOTING ABOUT A FIRST AXIS AND FOR OSCILLATING AT ITS OTHER END BETWEEN SAID STOP MEANS, AND INTERMEDIATE MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID CASING FOR PIVOTING ABOUT A SECOND AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY AT 45 DEGREES WITH RESPECT TO SAID FIRST AXIS, TWO ABUTMENTS SOLID WITH SAID INTERMEDIATE MEMBER, A LEVER MOUNTED ON SAID INTERMEDIATE MEMBER FOR PIVOTING ABOUT A THIRD AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY AT 90 DEGREES WITH RESPECT TO SAID SECOND AXIS, MEANS FOR OSCILLATING SAID LEVER BETWEEN SAID ABUTMENTS, AND AN OVERCENTERED SPRING FOR CONNECTING SAID LEVER WITH SAID CONTACT CARRYING ELEMENT. 